Dale "Grey Beard" Sanders, 91, has reclaimed his own record as the oldest person to complete a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Sanders finished his 2,200-mile journey atop Mount Katahdin in Maine on Monday, 359 days after starting his trek. This accomplishment marks his second time holding the age record for hiking the entire trail.
Sanders first set the record in 2017 at the age of 82. His record was surpassed in 2021 by M.J. "Nimblewill Nomad" Eberhart, who finished at 83. Sanders had previously assisted Eberhart on some challenging sections of his record-setting hike.
Sanders began his latest thru-hike attempt on September 6, 2025, from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, heading south before taking a winter break. He resumed his northbound journey in the spring, averaging about 12 miles per day with one rest day each week. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy permits hikers to complete sections in various orders and take breaks, as long as the entire trail is finished within a year.
The Appalachian Trail spans approximately 2,200 miles across 14 states, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Katahdin in Maine. Hikers face significant elevation changes, with the trail including roughly 464,500 feet of elevation gain and an equal amount of loss. The terrain is characterized by steep climbs, boulder fields, stream crossings, and rugged mountainous areas, particularly in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and parts of Maine, which are considered among the most difficult sections.
During his 359-day journey, Sanders experienced 71 falls. Six of these were described as "hard falls," and one resulted in a brief hospitalization. Despite a challenging incident in June on Vermont's Killington Mountain, where he fell in a boulder field and sustained injuries, and later experiencing numbness in his left arm that led to a hospital visit for what was initially feared to be a stroke but was diagnosed as a pinched nerve, Sanders persevered.
Sanders, born in 1935, is older than the Appalachian Trail itself, which was completed in 1937. His other endurance achievements include paddling the entire Mississippi River multiple times, setting an age record for the Grand Canyon's rim-to-rim-to-rim route, and completing the Mississippi River trip at age 87.